Suction head mounting for textile machine cleaning systems



July 1, 1958 w. w. HEWITT ETAL 2,340,861

SUCTION HEAD MOUNTING FOR TEXTILE MACHINE CLEANING SYSTEMS Filed March 51, 1955 I N VEN T 023 Waco/20 w- W l-IE WITT, flew/MW S. Powagda and 550265 4. M/m;

BY PM ATTORNEYS United States Patent 0.

SUCTION HEAD MOUNTING FOR TEXTILE MACHINE CLEANING SYSTEMS Woodrow W. Hewitt, Benjamin S. Powell, Jr., and

George A. White, Charlotte, N. C., assignors to Spinsavac Corporation, Charlotte, N. C., a corporation of North Carolina Application March 31, 1955, Serial No. 498,146

6 Claims. (Cl. 19-139) This invention relates to a pneumatic cleaning means for textile drafting machines, such as spinning frames, drawing frames and the like in which a strand of yarn, sliver or roving is passed through a plurality of rolls and a suction pipe or head is disposed adjacent the lower front roll for sucking lint, broken ends and the like thereinto from adjacent the lower front roll.

A pneumatic cleaning system usually includes a main suction duct with auxiliary ducts leading from the main suction duct up to slotted suction heads located adjacent the lower front rolls. All of this is conventional and has heretofore been employed, but there has been difliculty in that the slotted pipe has been in the way when it became necessary to tie broken ends or do other work adjacent the front rolls.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved mounting for each suction head comprising a bracket associated with each roll stand having means for swingably supporting the slotted pipes to permit moving the same When it is desired to clean the same or desired to perform a repairing operation to the strand.

It is another object of this invention to provide a cleaning system having a first auxiliary pipe which is flexible or provided with a flexible connection and connected at one end to the main suction pipe and connected at its other end to a second auxiliary or slotted pipe or suction head, which is disposed adjacent the lower front roll, and to provide a spring-pressed bracket for supporting the first and second auxiliary pipes so that the second auxiliary or slotted pipe can be quickly lowered and which, when raised into position, will hold the second auxiliary or slotted pipe in proper position.

It is another object of this invention to provide in a cleaning system, a bracket associated with each end of the slotted pipe which will hold the slotted pipe in operative position and which will enable its downward movement away from operative position for cleaning, repairing or other purposes.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a somewhat schematic front elevation showing a portion of a spinning frame, drawing frame or the like equipped with our device;

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line 2-2 in Figure l and showing a set of top rolls resting on the bottom rolls;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary elevation of the central portion of Figure 2 and looking substantially along line 3-.3 in Figure 1 and showing one. of the brackets in non-operative position;

Figure 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary and sectional planview taken substantially along line 4-4 in Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view through one end of the second auxiliary or slotted tubes, showing the preferred construction thereof.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the numeral 9 indicates the frame or girt of a spinning frame, slubber, roving frame or the like, which supports a plurality of roll stands 10. The present invention resides in improved means for supporting a cleaning conduit or suction head 13 which is connected to a duct trunk 11 by means of a flexible tube 16. The duct trunk 11 carries lint, dust and yarn ends to a collecting cabinet, not shown, usually consisting of a screen and a suitable fan, not shown, for creating a vacuum in the collecting cabinet duct trunk 11 and in the suction head or second auxiliary tube 13 which has a plurality of orifices or slots 12 therein. The conduit 13 is located in correct position bymeans of peculiar mounting units which will be presently described.

The mounting units are made to facilitate the use of either right-hand or left-hand installation and the units permit movement of the cleaning conduit 13 in a horizontal as well as a vertical plane or in combination of the two, thereby insuring correct location of the cleaning conduit 13'to facilitate removal of broken ends and also to readily enable the operator to piece together broken ends.

Between each set of roll stands 10 the main conduit or duct trunk 11 has one end of one of the flexible first auxiliary conduits 16 connected thereto. While the entire conduit 16 is illustrated as being flexible, any suitable connection may be used which permits the cleaner tube 13 to be moved relative to the main suction duct 11. The other end of the flexible conduit 16 is suitably connectedto a central portion of the second auxiliary or slotted conduit or suction head 13. The roll stands 10 accommodate lower or bottom rolls 2t), 21 and 22 which have corresponding upper rolls 23, 24 and 25.

The mounting units are the nucleus of the invention and support opposite ends of the second auxiliary slotted conduit or suction head. Each unit comprises a bracket or plate 30 which is adjustably secured to the corresponding roll stand 19 by a screw 31. The bracket 30 has front and rear horizontally spaced ears or lugs thereon designated at 32 and 33 extending away from the corresponding roll stand 10. A leaf-spring or wire strand-like torsion spring 34 is connected at one end to the bracket 30, as by means of a screw or bolt 35, and its other end is bent into a hole 36 in a link 37. The link 37 is pivotally mounted on a shoulder screw or pivot pin 38 at one end and its other end is adjustably connected to one end of 'a bifurcated or slotted arm 4%, as by an adjusting screw or bolt 41.

This adjusting screw may be fastened by a lock nut or the link 37 may be threaded to receive the screw 41 to holdthe arm 40 in the desired position. Arm 40 is slotted, as at 43, to receive a screw 44 which is threaded into a closure cap 45 fixed in each end of the second auxiliary tube or suction head 13. The closure caps 45 prevent'the flow of air into the ends of the tubular suction head 13 and cause the air to be drawn through the slots 12.

Each'closure cap 45 is preferably of built-up construction as, shown in Figure 5 and, due to the fact that each air inlet slot 12 is preferably of the same length as, and is positioned immediately adjacent, a corresponding boss on the lower front roll 20, this may require that the endmost slots 12 in each suction head 13 be positioned closely adjacent the ends of the suction head as shown in Figures 1, 4 and 5. Thus, it is preferable that the inner end surface of each closure cap is inclined, as at 46, away from the adjacent slot 12 and toward the center of the suction head, to prevent turbulence or eddy currents as air is drawn through the endmost slots 12 into the suction head 13.

It is apparent, by referring to Figure 2, that the lug 33 serves as a fulcrum for the spring 34 and prevents the v Patented July l, 1958" 3. end. of. the spring 34 connated to the. screw 35. from rotating about the screw 35 due to the inherent torsional stressin the spring 34. the link 37 upwardly into engagement with the lower surface of the front lug 32 so the suction head 13 may normally occupy a position in predetermined closely spaced relation to and beneath thelower front drafting roll 20. The normal position of the suction head 13 may be-determined by loosening the screw 31 and adjusting the corresponding bracket or plate 30 about the screw 31, after which the screw 31 may betightened to maintain the bracket 30 in the desired adjusted position.

The displacement between the upper surface of the suction head or second auxiliary tube 13 and the bottom or lower front drafting roll 20 may further be predetermined by loosening each of the screws 44 threaded into theclosure caps 45 to permit adjustment of each screw 44 longitudinally of the corresponding slot 43 in the corresponding arm 40. Of course, the screws 44 are then tightened. In order to insure that the orifices 12 in-the suction head 13 are properly positioned relative to the bottom drafting roll, not only can the suction head 13 be rotated when the screws 44 are loosened, but each of the arms 40 may be adjusted about its corresponding screw 41 by which it is connected to the corresponding arm or link 37. It has been found most desirable that that portion of the suction head which is closest to the periphery of the bottom front drafting roll 20 should be positioned approximately one-eighth of an inch from the bottom front drafing roll 20 and the centers of the orifices should be alined tangentially with the peripheries of the bosses on the front bottom roll 20.

Figure 3 not only illustrates how the suction head 13 may be swung downwardly by the operator, out of the way of the front bottom roll 20 to facilitate cleaning of,

the machine or the tying of broken yarn ends, but it also illustrates how the corresponding arm 40 may be adjusted about the corresponding screw 41, when compared with the illustration in Figure 2.

The slots 12, due to the short length of the second auxiliary pipe13, are shown as all being the same length but, if desired, in order to provide an even flow of air through the slots, the slots furthest away from the flexible pipe 16 could be made wider than those adjacent the flexible pipe 16 so as to provide an even suction through all of the slots 12. Or, if desired, the auxiliary suction pipe 16 could be connected near one end of the second auxiliary pipe 13 with the slots 12 becoming progressively wider as they advance away from the auxiliary suction pipe 16. In ordinary practice, however, the arrangement shown gives satisfactory results.

Itis thus seen that we have provided improved means for mounting each end of a suction head or clearing conduit of a textile machine cleaning system which not only normally maintains the suction head or clearing conduit in optimum operating position and resiliently supports the same in order that it may readily be moved away from the bottom front drafting roll, but it also facilitates adjustment of the suction head toward and away from the bottom front drafting roll in both horizontal and vertical directions relative to the supporting means so the improved mounting units may be readily applied to many different types of machines without any changes being required in the mounting units. For example, it may be necessary to position the bracket 39 a substantially greater or lesser distance, either horizontally and/or vertically,

from the bottom front drafting roll 20 when the bracket" 30 is mounted on roll stands which are constructed differently from the roll stand illustrated in Figures 2, 3 and 4 and, accordingly, it is apparent that the suctionhead 13 may be easily adjusted to position the same at the optimum' operating position when the corresponding levers or links 37 are in engagement with the front lugs'32.

In the drawings and specification there has been set The spring- 34 normally urges fortha preferred embodimet of the invention; and, 211

though specific terms are employed, they are used ill a generic and, descriptiYc, sense only, nd 91. fQIPWIDSQi.

of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.

We claim:

1. In a spinning frame having a plurality of drafting rolls, roll stands supporting the drafting rolls and a suction pipe disposed adjacent the lowermost and foremost of said drafting rolls, improved means for supporting each end of said suction pipe comprising a bracket fixed to the inncr'surfacc of a corresponding ro-ll stand, a link pivotally connected to said bracket and extending forwardly therefrom, a leaf spring member having one end connected to and normally urging said link upwardly, said member extending rearwardly from said link and curving upwardly and forwardly, means securing the other end of the spring member to said bracket, means carried by the bracket for limiting upward movement of said link, an arm secured for pivotal adjustment on the forward portion ofsaid link, and means securing the arm to the corresponding end of said suction pipe.

2. In a structure according to claim 1, wherein said means securing the arm to the corresponding end of said suction pipe includes a closure cap fixed to said corresponding end of the suction pipe, said arm being provided with a longitudinal slot therein, and a screw loosely penetrating the slot in said arm and being threaded into the closure cap.

3'. In a textile drafting machine having at least two horizontally spaced roll stands, drafting rolls mounted on the roll stands and an elongated tubular suction head having'orifices therein for receiving lint from the drafting rolls; a bracket adjustably secured to the inner surface of each roll stand below the level of the drafting rolls, a link pivotally connected to each bracket and extending forwardly therefrom, an arm adjustably secured for circular adjustment to the forward end of each link, each arm having a longitudinally extending slot therein, each end of the suction head 'having a closure cap thereon, a screw loosely penetrating the slot in each arm and being threaded into the corresponding closure cap, a leaf spring member having one end connected to and normally urging each link upwardly toward the drafting rolls, said member extending rearwardly from said link and curving upwardly and forwardly, means securing the other end of the spring member to said bracket, and means carried by each bracket for limiting upward movement of the corresponding link whereby said spring members normally maintain the suction head in predetermined position relative to the drafting rolls, said spring members permitting manual movement of the suction head away from the drafting rolls.

4. In a textile drafting machine having at least two horizontally-spaced roll stands, drafting rolls mounted on the roll stands and an elongated tubular suction head having orifices therein for receiving, lint from the drafting rolls; a bracket secured to the inner surface of each roll stand below the level of the drafting rolls, a link pivotally connected to each bracket and extending forwardly therefrom, an arm adjustably secured for circular adjustment to the forward end of each link, each arm having a longitudinally extending slot therein, each end of the-suction head having a closure cap thereon, a screw loosely penetrating the slot in each arm and being threaded into the corresponding closure cap, resilient means normally urge of the corresponding link whereby said resilient means normally maintain the suction head in predetermined position relative to the drafting rolls, said resilient means permitting manual movement of the suction head away from the drafting rolls.

5. In a textile drafting machine of the type having at least two roll stands for supporting drafting rolls and also having a suction pipewith an auxiliary flexible suction pipe connected at one end to the suction pipe and a second auxiliary slotted suction pipe located adjacent the front drawing roll; the combination of a mechanism for supporting the second auxiliary suction pipe comprising a bracket adjustably secured to each roll stand, a link pivotally connected at one end to the bracket and its other end having a slotted arm adjustably secured thereto for holding the second auxiliary suction pipe, each bracket having a pair of lugs extending therefrom, a leaf spring connected at one end to the bracket at a point above one of the lugs and extending over the last-named lug and curving beneath the last-named lug and having its other end connected to an intermediate portion of the link pivotally connected to the bracket, the other of said lugs on said bracket limiting upward movement of the second auxiliary pipe while permitting manual downward movement of the second auxiliary slotted pipe away from the front roll.

6. In a textile drafting machine having at least two horizontally spaced roll stands, drafting rolls mounted on the roll stands and an elongated tubular suction head having orifices therein for receiving lint from the drafting rolls; an improved mounting for each end of the suction head comprising a bracket adjustahly secured to the inner surface of each roll stand and having substantially horizontally spaced front and rear lugs thereon, a link pivotally connected to said bracket below the level of said lugs, an elongated spring wire member having one of its ends con nected to a medial portion of said bracket, said spring extending rearwardly over the rear lug and curving downwardly and then forwardly and having its front end connected to a medial portion of said link, an arm pivotally and adjustably secured to the front portion of said link, said arm having a longitudinal slot therein, a closure cap for each end of said tubular suction head and having a headed screw threaded thereinto, and each headed screw penetrating the slot in the corresponding arm whereby said bracket may be adjusted on the corresponding roll stand, said suction head may be circularly adjusted on said arms and longitudinally of said arms, said arms may be pivotally adjusted on said links, and said springs will urge the links'toward the front lugs on the brackets.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 908,341 Shipp Dec. 29, 1908 2,126,500 Petrea Aug. 9, 1938 2,574,038 Howard Nov. 6, 1951 2,670,428 Olson Feb. 23, 1954 2,719,333 Buchanan Oct. 4, 1955 2,719,334 Buchanan Oct. 4, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 497,625 Belgium Sept. 15, 1950 501,924 Belgium Mar. 31, 1951 677,071 Great Britain Aug. 6, 1952 971,609 France Jan. 19, 1951 

